Titans To Compete At WIAC Men's Outdoor Championship
UW-Oshkosh seeks its 19th consecutive top-four showing at the WIAC Men's Outdoor Track & Field Championship on Friday and Saturday (May 1-2) in La Crosse.
Action in the 97th edition of the championahip begins at noon on Friday and 10 a.m. on Saturday at UW-La Crosse's Roger Harring Stadium at Veterans Memorial Field Sports Complex.
UW-La Crosse collected its 50th first-place trophy a season ago with 215 points. UW-Oshkosh placed second with 163 points, UW-Whitewater third with 109, UW-Eau Claire fourth with 102, UW-Platteville fifth with 79, UW-Stout sixth with 75, UW-Stevens Point seventh with 69, UW-River Falls eighth with 31 and UW-Superior ninth with 15.
The Titans have finished second to 24-time defending champion UW-La Crosse for the past five league meets. Since 1997, UW-Oshkosh has six second-place finishes at the WIAC Championship, eight third-place efforts and four fourth-place results.
UW-Oshkosh athletes expected to contend for conference crowns on the track are Brian Beaudo in the 400-meter dash, Roberto Lara in the 1,500-meter run and the 1,600-meter relay team of Beaudo, Kallen Bentz, Dan Trimner and Reid Zanoya.
Beaudo owns the fastest 400-meter time in the WIAC this season with a time of 48.29 seconds. Listing second in the league this year are Lara's 1,500-meter time of 3:52.39 and UW-Oshkosh's 1,600-meter relay time of 3:14.47.
In the field events, UW-Oshkosh's contenders include Zachary Baehman in the shot put and Mike Heinz in the discus throw. Baehman's shot put toss of 56-3 1/4 and Heinz's discus throw of 171-6 both rank second in the conference.
Beaudo and Zanoya were members of the winning 1,600-meter relay team in 2013 and 2014, and Zanoya added the 400-meter dash title in 2013.
This year's championship features 23 athletes who have combined to win 24 individual and 15 relay first-place medals. The meet also showcases five teams ranked in the top 19 of the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association's computer rankings. UW-La Crosse is the top-ranked team, while UW-Eau Claire is second, UW-Whitewater third, UW-Oshkosh 11th and UW-Stout 15th.
Last year, UW-La Crosse's Dominique Neloms received Field Performer of the Meet accolades after winning the high jump and long jump. The Eagles also received first-place performances from Ross Denman in the 400-meter dash, Daniel Otto in the 110-meter high hurdles, Grant Havard in the discus and Jeffery Hill in the pole vault.
UW-Eau Claire's Thurgood Dennis was named the Track Performer of the Meet at the 2012 and 2013 championships and has won three consecutive 100-meter dash titles.
UW-La Crosse has claimed all but one WIAC outdoor title since 1978. UW-Oshkosh interrupted the Eagles' streak in 1990.